


It's a 'Help You Hide a Body' Kind of Love

by Annide



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen, Murder, Post-Episode: s01e20 Like Father ..., Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:29:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27496483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: After the ordeal with Endicott, Malcolm helps his sister deal with the immediate problem at their feet, literally.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & Ainsley Whitly
Kudos: 24





	It's a 'Help You Hide a Body' Kind of Love

The shock of what had just happened washed over them both. Malcolm wanting and threatening to commit murder, but not having it in himself to actually do it. Ainsley surprising everyone as she not only ran a knife across Endicott’s throat, but proceeded to stab him multiple times. Overkill. That’s what Malcolm’s profiler brain would call it. Overkill. But it was done and it was too late to change it now.

“What just happened? What do we do now?”

Ainsley asked as he hung up the phone. It was almost sickening how proud of her their father had sounded. Martin had gotten what he wanted. Not exactly the way he’d hoped, but he’d gotten it nonetheless. A child to keep up his murder legacy.

“I guess we need to deal with this. Hide the body before anyone finds out.”

“No, I can’t ask you to do that. I don’t want to make my big brother accessory to murder.”

“Listen, Ains, you’re my little sister, I love you and I’d do anything for you. I’d take the fall if I had to. They’re already after me for a murder I didn’t commit, it’s not like I have much left to lose anyway.”

“I love you too, bro.”

“Alright so first we need a plastic tarp to put him in and carry him out, I’ll go get one in the basement. Go get some cleaning products from the kitchen and try to clean the blood on the carpet while it’s still fresh. It’ll be easier, and be careful to see if there’s any trace of it on the furniture or anywhere else.”

They went to work, wrapping the body in plastic and cleaning everything. Malcolm carried, or more accurately pulled with great effort, Endicott down to the murder tunnels while Ainsley changed and showered. With all the evidence taken away from upstairs and them hidden down here with the body and bloody clothes, they could take their time without worrying about someone walking in on them.

First, they used Endicott’s phone, which was way too easy to unlock, to send messages to multiple people of his intention to leave the country, specifying that he needed to get away for a while. They made it look as though he’d gotten spooked by Malcolm who told him the cops were closing in on him. The phone’s location would corroborate that. They also got into his bank accounts to purchase seats on multiple flights, making it look as though he was trying to blur his real destination, and emptied his local account into one of his offshore ones.

Second, they cut the body in smaller pieces to facilitate transport, which was easier said than done, but they managed it. Ainsley rented a car, with cash, a fake name and while wearing a wig she had from an old Halloween costume.

They drove out of town toward John Watkins’ cabin. They stopped by the water to drop Endicott’s phone in the river, which was consistent with the story. No one would keep their phone as they fled from the authorities. They stopped again at a pig farm on the way and sneaked in to deposit all the pieces of the body inside. The pigs started on it right away, soon there would be no traces left of Nicholas Endicott.

They continued to the cabin, which was secluded enough for them to burn Ainsley’s clothes. They also sanitised the tools from all traces of DNA and used them on wood and dropped them a few times outside to get them dirty before they left them in a corner of the basement. It was time to go home.

“Thanks for helping me, Mal. You really didn’t have too.” Ainsley broke the silence of the car.

The darkness of the night enveloped them as they made their way back to the city, as well as the indelible stain of what they’d done. They may have managed to get rid of all of the evidence, they may believe they were well on their way to have Ainsley get away with murder. But they would never forget tonight’s actions. They would never completely get rid of the guilt. And, most of all, that uncomfortable feeling that came from their father’s pride at that turn of events, from his joy at sharing his advice on how to make this all go away, that feeling would never fully disappear.

“I already told you, Ains. I’m here for you no matter what. I will always be there to help you with whatever you need, even if it’s burying a body. Though I’m hoping this doesn’t become a regular thing.”

“So do I.”

Ainsley stared down at her hands. Malcolm took one of his hands off the steering wheel and put it on hers, squeezing them in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. He wished he could take all the guilt away from her, wished he could take the weight of her actions off her shoulders. She was his little sister and he wanted to do anything he could to shield her from pain.

“I guess I proved my point that I’m not a killer. Gil and Dani have been saying so too, and they were right. Endicott was right. I’m our mother’s son, I don’t have it in me to kill someone.”

“That’s a good thing. I wish the cops who want to arrest you for murder could see that.”

“Oh, right, I almost forgot about that.”

“We’ll figure it out. I promise. After what you did for me, I can’t let you go to prison for a crime you didn’t commit.”

“Yeah. Let’s keep all of that from mom, shall we? With Gil in the hospital, she really doesn’t need any more stress.”

“Can you imagine her reaction? After everything she did to keep me away from dad and all that happened back then, learning that I turned out to be like him anyway? She couldn’t take it. She can’t ever know.”

Malcolm recognised his sister in her tone. She’d been a little off and down all night, but it felt like she was finally coming back to her normal self. The shock had worn off a little and they could breathe again, just as the sun was beginning to rise on a new day.

“You know, Ains, if you ever need to talk about what happened tonight, or anything else, you can always call me. Please call me. You can’t keep all of this, and all your feelings about it to yourself. And I am more than willing to listen.”

“Alright, but it goes both ways. You have to talk to me too. This is something you’ll have to keep from Dr Le Deux, so come to me when you need. We’re in this together, bro.”

“Together. That sounds good.”

They shared a tentative smile, one that expressed their support for each other despite everything that was going on. It was tainted by worry, by guilt, by all those dreadful feelings. The road ahead would be difficult, but they had each other’s back, and that, more than anything else, is what kept Malcolm going, what gave him hope that maybe it would be alright.


End file.
